BISMARCK, ND – Tom Kubank and Keith Hunter both scored 16 points for the University of Mary in a heartbreaking 70-66 loss to visiting Concordia-St. Paul. The Marauders never trailed in the game until the closing seconds of the Northern Sun contest.
 
Fresh off a road win over defending NSIC champion MSU Moorhead, the Marauders positioned themselves for a second straight win by jumping out to an early lead. Behind a 3-pointer from Wyatt Carr followed by a steal that turned into a Keith Hunter layup, UMary claimed a 30-18 lead. The Marauders eventually entered intermission leading 36-30 behind a 6-for-11 effort behind the arc.
 
UMary used an 11-6 start to the second half to build a 47-36 lead. CSP kept chipping away to pull within 54-52. Once again the Marauders found a way to hold off the charging Golden Bears to move in front 64-56 on a 3-pointer by Kubank with just under three minutes left to play.
 
In the proverbial blink of an eye, the Marauders lead evaporated as the Golden Bears ran off eight straight points in about 30 seconds that featured two steals leading to two Bryndan Matthews baskets.
 
Matthew Kreklow stopped the Concordia run with a jumper in the paint to give UMary its final lead of the game at 66-64. The Golden Bears immediately responded with an Avan Ward basket to tie the game.
 
After a miss by the Marauders and a foul, Ward gave the Golden Bears their first lead of the game at 68-66 on a pair of free throws.
 
Looking to tie the game, Hunter couldn't convert a layup in heavy traffic in the closing seconds. Ward tacked on two free throws with a second remaining to clinch the win for Concordia.
 
Kubank knocked down four treys in the game as the Marauders went 10-of-23 behind the arc. He also had two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Hunter made 7-of-12 shots and chipped in three assists. Kreklow hit 5-of-6 shots and paired 11 points and four rebounds. Carr came off the bench and hit 3-of-5 3-point attempts and scored nine points. Jaylan White had seven assists and four points.
 
Ward led all players with 27 points for CSP, making three treys and all six of his free throws. Matthews added 19 points.
 
The Marauders shot 49.1 percent for the game but couldn't match the 59.6 percent shooting of the Golden Bears.
 
UMary closes the weekend against NSIC South leading Minnesota State on Saturday, January 13, at 6 pm.
 
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